Prevention of denaturation of freshwater crayfish muscle subjected to different freeze-thaw cycles by gelatin hydrolysate

- Gelatin hydrolysates showed free radical scavenging and metal chelating activities.
- Gelatin hydrolysate showed cryoprotective effects in crayfish muscle.
- Muscle treated with Flavourzyme hydrolysate had higher sulfhydryl groups and Ca2+-ATPase activity.
- Gelatin hydrolysate might serve as the natural additives in crayfish processing.

The cryoprotective effect of gelatin hydrolysates from the skin of beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) on freshwater crayfish (Astacus leptodactylus) muscle subjected to different freeze-thaw cycles was investigated. Untreated muscle was particularly susceptible to quality loss as indicated by the formation of secondary lipid oxidation products and the loss in sulfhydryl groups and Ca2+-ATPase activity. Hydrolysate produced using flavourzyme which was mainly consisted of oligopeptides as the main fraction as well as small fraction of polypeptides could lower the denaturation of crayfish myosin heavy chain when compared to the control. In addition, lipid oxidation in treated muscle was impeded to some extent. Peptides with smaller or longer chain length than those in flavourzyme hydrolysate although exhibited antioxidant activity, but were less effective in maintaining the muscle quality during storage. Thus, the potential of flavourzyme hydrolysate as the alternative cryoprotectant might be employed during crustacean processing.